I’ve never been one to emphasize the importance of arts funding in education–I guess because I was focused on the importance of literacy, but I think there might be more to it than that. I think maybe I’ve been slow to realize the value of arts, particularly for poor children. I’ll be doing some research to look for data on that, any readers who know of such sources are encouraged to post them.

I think education for poor children needs three critical things, in addition to the de-emphasis on standardized testing that ALL students and teachers need–one is year round schooling (meaning more days in school, not the old model where it’s the same ten months, just spaced out differently) from Pre-K to third grade, and that schooling must mimic the types of interactions and experienced that school-ready children get at home. Authentic conversations, questioning, and exposure to scientific principles, in addition to varied experiences with the arts–music, performance, and stories. Our culture perpetuates itself through these means. Young people who are not included in these experiences become disengaged youth and disenfranchised adults. So many of the learning experiences they are expected to value and participate in later are related to these foundational ideas–inquiry, empathy, creativity, and shared history, that if we don’t provide them, we can’t hope to keep these children interested in school.

Speaking of which, I have to go read to my son about the shark attacks of 1916.

Things two and three are arts funding for all students, particularly for underserved children, because as I said above, these programs not only uplift and develop the depth of the soul, they help to create functioning, concerned citizens, and more technical education for kids starting in middle school. Thanks to NCLB, kids know for sure whether or not they’re decent students by the time they’re nine. By age 12, if they know they aren’t good readers, smart math students, and good test takers, they realize school has little to offer them except an annual kick in the teeth and seven hours of grind each day at things they don’t care about and aren’t good at.